Thursday, November 1, 2018

Prague archbishop reproaches in pastoral letter, that the Church does not sufficiently recall the anniversary of the Republic

Prague (kath.net/KAP) Cardinal Dominik Duka commented on the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Czechoslovak Republic with a pastoral letter. The proclamation of the republic on October 28, 1918 had taken place at the foot of the St. Wenceslas Memorial in Prague's Wenceslas Square, and the Vatican was one of the first states to recognize the new state, Duka recalled.

The Pastoral Letter, dated 28 October, and published only on Duka's personal homepage, is signed by him only in his capacity as Archbishop of Prague and Primate of Bohemia, but not as President of the Czech Bishops' Conference, which only took place on the 23rd and held its 115th Assembly on 24 October.

First of all, Duka is reproachful that the Church does not sufficiently commemorate the anniversary of the republic. For, “together with a number of institutions and commissions, they were not only informed about the intended actions, but also shared information among themselves.” For the Catholic Church, "it was especially important to point out the roots of Czech statehood in connection with the worship of St. Wenceslas to the full extent of our early history and their continued existence until the founding of Czechoslovakia or Czech Republic.” This requirement was met in particular with the celebrations for Wenceslas Day (28 September).

The Primate Cardinal recalled the presence not only of Church organizations, but also of the military and the Sokol ‘Movement at the solemn Mass in Stara Boleslav on the 28th of September. It was the members of this Christian-oriented movement who fought for the rebuilding of the sovereign republic during the First World War and during the Second World War. Thus, the continuity of the cult of Wenceslas was made visible during the celebrations.

Duka also mentioned the problem of founding the state 100 years ago. The festive atmosphere had been clouded by the not yet consolidated demarcation. But the federalization proclaimed by Kaiser Karl at the last moment "could not seal the fates of our peoples, but Karl's earnest efforts to conclude peace were undeniable.” He wanted to emphasize, “Charles’ renunciation of the throne of Bohemia, who had sworn allegiance to the dynasty, and were thus free to decide without inhibition,” said the cardinal.

The Primate cited in detail from the last pastoral letter of his predecessor Archbishop Paul Huyn (1868-1946) and from the first of his Vicar General Moric Picha (1869-1956) from the days of separation of 1918. Two days before the proclamation of the republic, on the 26th of October, the Archbishop of Prague described the war as a "just defensive war", which Catholics in particular must "do their utmost to be victorious.” It was the "last cause of hatred of the enemies" that "we were lucky enough to have a Catholic Emperor and a Catholic Empress." Huyn had then not returned from a visitation to Prague and officially resigned on September 19, 1919.

The Ecclesiastical Loyalty Promise of December 1918

On December 8, 1918, Vicar General Picha struck a new tone, Duka said. One sees "in the destinies of nations, and especially of our people, the hand of Divine Providence"; they wanted and will "wholeheartedly love our country in its new form, live in harmony and justice with all the citizens of our state and stand with due respect and sacrifice to the appointed government," Cardinal Duka quoted. He concluded his pastoral letter "with thanks for 100 years of honest work, bravery and courage, but also forgiveness where we failed.”

The former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, who spoke at a festive session of the Parliament as honorary president of the party TOP 09, also recalled emperor Karl. 1918 had allowed “a very civilized overthrow" and one must be "thankful to the Emperor Karl of blessed memory, that he had forbidden the use of force.”

In a TV interview in the news service CT24 also greeted Karl Habsburg, the current head of the House of Habsburg, and the historical role of his grandfather. The Emperor "in addition to his deep faith, also believed that, however bad the situation may be, one must endeavor to make the best out of it.” On this basis, one must "also consider the various peace efforts that emanated from him.” Karl came to power in a situation when - after the death of Emperor Franz Josef - the war was essentially beyond salvation."

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Communists are against it - 50 years ago the Communists abolished the day off - 86 percent of the 10.5 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic no longer have a religious affiliation

Prague (kath.net/ idea ) in the Czech Republic - one of atheistic countries in the world - to the Good Friday from next year will be a national holiday. A bill was initiated by Socialist Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka's Cabinet on June 24. The proposal originally came from the co-governing Christian Democratic People's Party. According to Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Chief Bělobrádek, the impact of an additional public holiday on the economy is minimal. Czech media expected that the project will find a broad majority in Parliament. Already 90 of the 190 MPs have signed a corresponding cross-party application.

The Communists are against it.

Only the Communists are against the draft. In the 50s they had abolished Good Friday as a public holiday. To date, Holy Thursday and Good Friday were only school days off, but not general holidays. 86 percent of the 10.5 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic are non-denominational, ten per cent Roman Catholic and a Protestant percent. Good Friday is in many countries - including Germany and the majority of Switzerland - a national holiday. In Austria, it applies only to members of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (Lutherans) and Helvetic Confession (Reformed) and the Old Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Chairman of the Czech Bishops' Conference: The "planned destruction of the family" by "certain ideological currents" is "a civil nuclear war," that is "a larger and more painful reality than any economic crisis".

Prague (kath.net/KAP) On the occasion of the Church's "Year of the Family" a National Family Pilgrimage was held in the Czech Republic. These gathered in Zdar nad Sazavou (Saar at the Sázava) more than 5,000 children, parents and grandparents, to jointly lay a commitment to family. Just before the event the complex on the Zelena Hora (the Green Mountain)in the Diocese of Brno had been handed back into the care of the Catholic Church. The President of the Czech Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Archbishop of Prague Dominik Duka (photo) gave the sermon last Sunday on both occasions.

The "planned destruction of the family" by "certain ideological currents" is "a civil nuclear war," said Duka. Because it will put society in the same "state as Hiroshima after the atomic explosion". This decline has been "a larger and more painful reality than any economic crisis."

Attacks on the family set the stage where man is isolated and enslaved, said the Bohemian Primate. The first step in the subjugation of African slaves was not by chance the destruction of their families, reminded Duka.

Motioning to the event location the cardinal said, the restitutions presented "a gradual termination of the financing of Church operation by the state". What Church and society would most need is a "return of marriage and family in their original condition".

Designed by the Prague architect Giovanni Santin Aichel, the pilgrimage complex on the Green Mountain at Saar is a major work of the so-called Bohemian Baroque Gothic. Its inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was 20 years ago this weekend, was a commemoration for the festivities from the 5th to 7th of September.

The transition of pilgrimage area, the cemetery and the property to the Church is a sensitive issue, says local pastor Vladimir Zalesky. Above all, we strive to return to regular pilgrimages, church services and an expansion of the spiritual and cultural offerings outside the tourist season.

Particular attention will be given to the selection and training of church leaders. They should learn to master its renunciation, the numerology and ascenticism of John of Nepomuk Church and communicate to the Faithful as well as those not close to the Church through its strange enclosure wall.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

(Prague) The Czech Cistercian Abbey, Vyssi Brod -- Hohenfurth has become an old ritual community. The Holy Mass will be celebrated for the faithful in the ordinary as well as in the Immemorial Rite of the Mass. The Cloister community itself has returned to a traditional choir and praying of the Cistercian Liturgy of the Hours and celebrates the "classical" form of the Roman Rite as of 2011 in the Autumn. The restoration of the classical Office was supported by a collaboration with the Trappist Abbey of Mariawald. The life of the Monastic community begins at 4:15am with rising and ends at 7:15 pm (7:45 in Summer) with the lecture in the Rule of St. Benedict, the Collations, Compline and Salve Regina. After that, "strict nightly silence" is maintained.

Parts of the magnificent cloister may be viewed, this is valid for near the Abbey church and above all the impressive library and refectory. "To participate in the tour, decent clothing appropriate to the place is necessary,"as it says on the internet site of the Cloister.

750 Years of Cistercian Ora et Labora in the South Bohemian Hohenfurt

The Cistercian Abbey of Hohenfurth was founded in 1259 in what was then German-settled southern Bohemia by Wok von Rosenburg and settled with monks from the Abbey of Wilhering near Linz. The hub of the Cloister community formed the market town of Hohenfurt with about 100 households in the surrounding area. During the Hussite Wars and the 30 Years War it was drawn by sympathy to undertake the renewal of pastoral care in the wake of the Protestant Revolt in numerous parishes. Its involvement in the education system even allowed the Cloister to escape the destructive reforms of Josephismus.

After the First World War the area of Hohenfurt with its 1459 German and five Czech inhabitants, complete with the Cloister became part of the new Czech Republic. The new State adopted a "hostile disposition" toward it, which was as ideological as it was also ethnically motivated and in the land reform which allowed up to 250 hectares almost all of the Cloister property of more than 5,500 hectares of wood and farmland was confiscated.

The election of the 43rd and presently the last Abbot formed himself with difficulty in 1925. The Czech authorities conveyed a not very pleasant talking "to" not to recognize the German candidates. Although the ethnic question had never played a role in the Cloister, Hohenfurth operated like a German Cloister. So it was a concern to find a virtuous candidate who the authorities were not "negatively inclined" to. The election fell upon Father Tezelin Jaksch from Hackelhof born in Budweis, who was then the pastor of Payerschau, "because of his refined bearing and his complete mastery of the Czech language." Abbot Tezelin attempted to reclaim three quarters of the original Cloister property, which still hadn't been resold by the State.

The Abbey bloomed in 1938, in which the Abbey reached its high water mark with 70 monks, with the Suddetenland of the Third Reich. The Czech monks had to leave the monastery, Abbot Tezelin was imprisoned as a pretext and deported to the protectorate of Bohemia and Maehren. The convent then elected an Abbot Coadjutor with Father Dominik Kaindl. After that the Cloister was repealed by the National Socialists after almost 700 years of unbroken existence. Father Engelbert Blochl died in KZ Dachau, 21 monks were drawn to serve in the war in the Wehrmach, of whom 10 did not return, while another died as a prisoner of war. During the war, the Wehrmacht established a hospital in the Cloister and by the end of the war, American troops, who were sent to south Bohemia, made a military camp out of it.

After the Second World War Abbot Tezlin Jaksch (1885-1954) struggled for the re-establishment of the Cloister, which indeed succeeded statutorily, was in any case reduced ad absurdam, there where the German monks, and with them almost the entire convent, were driven out in the course of Czech directed ethnic cleansing with the rest of the German population. The Czech authorities confiscated the entire property and declared that "the Cistercians of Hohenfurth are traitors and enemies of the Czech Republic". Only a few Czech monks were allowed to return to the Abbey with great difficulty.

The Communist power transfer of 1948 almost seamlessly took up the National Socialist persecution. Abbot Jaksch had to leave Cloister Hohenfurth in the same year and go to Austria. The Cloister was closed by the Communists in 1950. The last two still remaining Czech monks were interned and the Cloister was transformed into a military concern. The exiled monks of Hohenfurth found refuge in Austrian and Bavarian Cisterician Cloisters above all in Stift Rein in Steyria, which has since 1959 in the event of the 700th foundation anniversary of Hohenfurth, took up the name Rein-Hohenfurth.

After the break up of the Communist dictatorship in 1990, the two Cistercians still living at Hohenfurth travelled back to Bohemia and began the new settlement of the Cloister. In all there are still six Hohenfurth monks in various Cloisters of Austria and Bavaria, yet the other four are too old and fragile for a journey.

The restoration took place with great difficulty, since the Czechoslovakian State till 1994, and the Czech since 1994, shows no interest in the rebuilding of the Catholic orders. The return of the Cloister properties stolen from the State proved to be difficult and lengthy. For the new beginning there was economic help also from the Cistercian Cloister of Heiligenkreuz. In 1992 four novices were accepted into the Cloister. Since then the Priory of Hohenfurth -- Vyssi Brod, which has been led since 2007 by Justinus Berka, is struggling for the restoration of the life of the Cloister and after the atheistic deforestation, for the evangelization of Bohemia.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

About a hundred years ago there was a "Pastor's Initiative" of about 1200 priests against celibacy. Rome reacted quickly and with great effectiveness.

The Main Church of the
Neo-Hussites in Prague

(kreuz.net) Calls from clerics, who are disobedient to the hierarchy, is nothing new.

This was revealed by the Bavaria born Church historian, Cardinal Walter Brandmuller (83), in an article for the Catholic newspaer 'Tagespost'.

The Cardinal recalled a revolt of clerics which took place in Bohemia at the beginning of the twentieth century and spread to Slovakia.

Without Jews, without Rome, we'll build the German Cathedral.

Cardinal Brandmuller explained about how the turn of the nineteenth century there was a "Break Away from Rome Movement" present in Austria.

The initiator was Georg Ritter von Schönerer († 1921).

He used anti-clerical and antisemitic ideas: "Without Jews, without Rome, we'll build a German Cathedral home."

This was the genesis of the National Socialists.

After a decade the propaganda persuaded then around a hundred thousand Austrian Catholics.

This movement found a sequel a half-century later -- said Cardinal Brandmuller: "in the turbulent time after the Second Vatican Council by the adherents of "We Are Church", "Church From Below" and the circles around the "Kirchenvolkbegehren [Church People Seeking Reform].

The Demand Was Changed After the Council

A similar parallel to the Austrian one man show 'Pastor Initiative' is what Cardinal Brandmuller sees in the "Czech-Hussite National Church". They existed in the years after the First World War.

Czech clerics revolted after the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy firstly against the Episcopate.

After that they demanded a supposedly democratized and Rome-independent National Church.

The movement called itself 'Jednota'. They wanted a Liturgy in the national language, a shortened Breviary and married priests.

Additionally they demanded to elect their own Bishops by the clergy and the people, a democratization of the Church constitution and the abolition of clerical clothing.

Rome Reacts

At the end of February 1919 the Viennese Nuncio Teodoro Valfre di Bonzo (+1922) traveled to Prague, in order to form a picture of the situation.

In June 1919 delegates of 'Jednota' were invited by the Pope to Rome.

In the mean time, the Nuncio informed the Vatican State Secretary, Pietro Cardinal Gasparri (+1934).

The Nuncio promoted an unmistakable and decisive position against 'Jednota'.

The rebels were not won over by concessions. Giving away would have only further disturbed the faithful.

The 'Jednota' -- demands -- especially for married priests -- were decisively rejected.

The sending of a 'Jednota'-delegation to Rome led, according to Cardinal Brandmuller, to a division of minds.

For example, the theological faculty of the University of Prague had distanced itself from its Dean, who had participated in the 'Jednota' delegation.

1,200 Want End to Priestly Celibacy

As the next development was completed, a radicalization of the group took place, said the Cardinal. These named themselves from then on as 'Ohnisko' -- for burn point.

Their members were already decided even before the trip of 'Jednota'- Delegation to Rome, were prepared to transact their demands in case of a Roman rejection.

In August 1919 'Ohnisko' called upon Catholic Priests to marry civilly.

As one of the first steps, fallen priest Bohumil Zahradnik acted. In any case he was already living in concubinage for ten years.

The 'Ohnisko'- priests were addressed by the State authorities and compensated.

In September 1919 they attempted to get a dispensation for a very large number, 1,200 priests from celibacy.

The National Church was Proclaimed

On January 8th of 1920 the anti-clerical Czech government declared a "Czechoslovakian Church".

As Patriarch, the lapsed priest, a certain Karel Farsky (+1927) was elected.

This National Church represented Modernism.

A Catechism by Farksy maintained that Jesus was only a son of God in the same sense that all men were sons of God.

Christ is only the greatest of prophets.

For Cardinal Brandmuller it was thoroughly clear that the roots of the problem lay deeper than in the area of practical, disciplinary changes:

"A large part of the clergy were in a shattering crisis of their Catholic Faith."

Rome Came with a Heavy Hand

A week after the founding of the State Church -- on the 15th of January 1920-- the Holy See condemned the schismatic coalition and anathematized them.

Priests who belonged to the National Church, were in any case in excommunicated automatically in all senses.

Benedict XV. insisted in a letter of the 29th of January 1920, that there was never an agreement on priestly marriage.

The Czech Bishops had shown themselves equal to the situation -- and he was grateful for the decisive shepherds.

The Church's Censure Showed Itself as the Right Way

In an address at the end of the year in 1920, Pope Benedict XV stressed that Rome would not endeavor making the rule regarding celibacy any less stringent.

Any deviating assertions are misleading.

It is clear that the Church has priestly celibacy to thank for a great part of Her power.

It must be wholely and entirely unaltered.

That is " never before has it been more necessary in these times of moral degredation and unchecked vice" -- said the Pope on the eve of National Socialism and Fascism.

It will never happen that "this Holy Apostolic See will enfeeble or abolish this most holy law of priestly celibacy in any manner."

Back then: The Church Oriented Itself on Reality

Cardinal Brandmuller praised Romes decisive proceedings against the Czech rebels: "There was an understanding that set in that this was something that couldn't be won by negotiations."

The rebels wanted to alter the foundations of the Catholic Faith and of Christendom.

That was shown, among other things, in a popular census in 1921.

According to that 3.2 percent of Czechs belonged to the State sponsored Church.

The other part of Catholics -- about 76.3 percent of the population -- remained Catholic.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Bohemia: "It doesn't look good for me, but we know, that He is." The dying former president, Václav Havel, said this to the Archbishop of Prague, Msgr Dominik Duka, during his last conversation. The Archbishop described his last talk during a press conference. Yesterday at 18.00 [6pm] hours, all the bells of the churches and chapels in the land rang in memorial for the politician.

Catholic Sister Sat With Him to the Last

Václav Havel died in the early morning in his sleep at the age of 75. According to Czech media reports his wife Dagmar and a Sister of the Catholic Borromeo Order were present to the last at his country house in the village of Hradeček at the foot of the Riesengebirges.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Prague (kath.net/KAP) Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg valued the late Otto Habsburg as "an important Europe-oriented and interesting person". It should not be forgotten, "that he knew from the beginning, what Hitler really was", said Scharzenberg in an interview.

Already as a young man, the Habsburg aligned himself against the NS Dictator. That the military occupation of Austria was launched under the cover name of "Operation Otto", indicates that "the Nazis knew that he was their primary foe."

Even the service of the deceased to a more closely integrated Europe is unforgettable, said the Chief of Czech Diplomacy. Habsburg had "fought most courageously for all our Nations and peoples, who were in his time imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain."

Even people like Jiri Pelikan, who sat in the European Parliament for the Italian Socialist Party, had spoken of Otto as a man, "who knew his stuff and worked with complete competence".

Schwarzenberg recalled also that this would be one of the last people who had a constitutional function "in the old Monarchy": "We must not forget that he was the Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia."

The deceased had a "colossal joy", as he received an honorary citizenship of the City of Brandys nad Labem. The Castle of Brandeis on the Elbe is "the most favorite rest stop for his beloved father", he wanted to acquire it in order to make it the family home.

Brandys nad Labem is today a center for the honor of the Beautified Emperor Karl in the Czech Republic and forms with the Pilgrimage site Stara Boleslav, the place of the Martyrdom of St. Wenzel, a twin city. Pope Benedict XVI. visited Stara Boleslav in 2009 and celebrated an open air Mass in a meadow near Castle Brandeis.

The news "Lidove noviny" concluded the interview with Foreign Minister Schwarzberg, that had Otto von Habsburg gained the throne, then he would have been a Bohemian King with the longest reign. As a long serving member of the European Parliament he had aimed toward the integration of the post-Communist nations in the European and Atlantic structures.

Special mention is also to be made of his efforts to support the Czech side with the displaced South Germans [Suddeten] and for the annulment of the Benes Decree. In this connection he "did not rarely criticize the politicians of the Czech Republic, who considered his activities to be conflicting."

Not sure what Amemus Amnesium is going on about at AQ, but he seems to be disagreeing with the Foreign Minister's contention about Otto Habsburg being Hitler's most significant and dangerous foe. Sometimes it's hard to decipher what this poster is talking about because he doesn't always address himself to the question, and is often more interested in his own nationalist concerns, like raising awareness about how the Sudetenland Germans were treated. Apparently, he's still upset over how Otto Habsburg favored the Czech government over the claims of the Suddeten Germans, than he is about the actual article.

2. I am surprised Karl Fürst zu Schwarzenberg, now a Czech minister of Foreign Affairs, would mention this. It seems the Czech people and Czech politicians with their anti-German popular agitation against the Sudeten German victims are now slowly changing their minds.

3. Otto von Habsburg was not a primary target of the Nazis, although he was one of the targets. So was Kurt von Schussnig. And he also survived the war in a privileged [so you say]concentration camp of Dachau.

Thousands of Czech Catholics gather in Moravian village on occasion of national holiday

Over forty thousand Czech Catholics gathered in the Moravian village of Velehrad on Tuesday to commemorate Saints Cyril and Methodius. July 5 is a national holiday in the Czech Republic to honor the legacy of the Greek missionaries who brought Christianity to the Czech lands in 863. The open-air mass at Velehrad, once the seat of the Great Moravian Empire, was celebrated by the Archbishop of Olomouc, Jan Graubner.
Saints Cyril and Methodius arrived in Moravia in 863 on a mission from the Byzantine Empire. To spread the Gospel among the Slavs, they created the Cyrillic alphabet and translated the Bible and liturgical books into Slavonic, which at that time had no written form. The two brothers are considered the founders of Slavic literature.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

It might help also if you pointed out that we don't just have to contend with the pagan culture on the outside, but the modernist, neo-Marxist culture within the Church, which derides, mocks and ridicules everything the Church has ever steadfastly defended in the past.

January 06, 2010

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, who has served as Archbishop of Prague since 1991, has warned in an interview that “if Europe doesn't change its relation to its own roots, it will be Islamized.”

“Europe has denied its Christian roots from which it has risen and which could give it the strength to fend off the danger that it will be conquered by Muslims-- which is actually happening gradually,” he said. Muslims “easily fill the vacant space created as Europeans systematically empty the Christian content of their lives.”

“At the end of the Middle Ages and in the early modern age, Islam failed to conquer Europe with arms. The Christians beat them then,” he added. “Today, when the fighting is done with spiritual weapons which Europe lacks while Muslims are perfectly armed, the fall of Europe is looming.”

Denouncing Europe’s “pagan environment” and “atheistic style of life,” Cardinal Vlk said that “Neither the free market nor freedom without responsibility is strong enough to form the basis of society. Not even democracy alone is a panacea unless it is embedded in God.”

The Czech press is speculating that Pope Benedict will name a successor to the 77-year-old cardinal within days.

In 1958, Feeney correctly wrote that “the Jewish race constitutes a united anti-Christian bloc within Christian society, and is working ...

Purpose

This is a polemical Catholic Royalist blog. It will also attempt to provide a window onto various events, situations and personalities not generally or favorably presented to the purview of the general public in the English speaking world. It also hopes to be a bridge for those who wish to cross over, unite and fight for the truth.